Good Tired

“We can't allow ourselves to get tired of living the right way.” (Galatians 6:9 GWT)

Pandemic fatigue is a term that I hear quite often these days. After months of social limitations, most people feel anxious, hopeless, lonely, and bored. Motivation is lacking. Without social activities, gatherings, outings--we find life to be dull. Mingling, comparing, competing,  acquiring, and displaying were essential to our drive. The fuel that moved us forward is in short supply. We are fed up with the monotony. Devoid of diversions, our life seems pointless. 

This raises the following questions: What makes for a meaningful life? Were our motivations, thus far, worthwhile? Have we been attempting to fill the void with the wrong type of fuel? Like a gasoline engine incorrectly filled with diesel, are we shutting down?

When we live authentically, we can still feel tired--but it is a good kind of tired. Taking steps in the right direction, walking along the path of truth and honor uses up energy, but you won’t burn out. This fatigue is temporary. Do not be discouraged. Pray for renewed strength. Continue to live the right way. 

 

One Step in the Right Direction

“Teach me more about you, how you work and how you move, so that I can walk onward in your truth until everything within me brings honor to your name.” (Psalm 86:11 TPT)

Have you noticed how cleaning a small nook leads to more cleaning? If you clean your bathroom sink, you are more likely to notice that the toilet, tub, and floors also need a good scrubbing. But if you ignore the mess, you can get accustomed to living that way. Disorder becomes your new normal. 

If you are anything like me, you can easily recount all the missteps in each day and forget the rest. This form of self-recrimination can lead to despair. Be honest with yourself. Remind yourself of the good.

Acknowledging wholesome behavior can be motivating. When you take a step in the right direction, record it in some way. If you keep a journal, write down one beneficial thing you did each day. 

One step in the right direction usually leads to more along the same path. One step in the wrong direction also leads to more of the same. Thus, it is better to take one step in the right direction or be still. Ask God for guidance. Pay attention to how He moves. Walk forward in truth and honor. 

 

The Wreck of Hypocrisy

“Instead, shape your lives to become like the Holy One who called you.” (1 Peter 1:15 TPT)

The use of religion to prop up injustice is nothing new. History is littered with examples: holy wars, colonization, slavery, segregation, subjugation of indigenous people, profiteering, exploiting natural resources, political power grabs, violence--all these toxic practices are condoned by many professed Christians. These terrorists attempt to hijack faith for personal gain. Unfortunately, the damage is not limited to those who participate in these disruptions. The wreckage of hypocrisy leads to prolonged stagnation for all Christ followers. 

Every time I witness religious insincerity, I feel like I am stuck in a traffic jam on a highway. I can’t move forward. I try to remind myself of Christ’s teachings. I reassure myself that this is NOT what Christianity represents. When I feel stuck, I will get off the main path. Progress remains slow at first. Gradually, resources come my way through friends, reading, listening, writing, etc. I rarely recognize the significance of these access points at first. I am impatient and I want to move forward quickly. Once I am untangled from the mess, I look back and realize the impact of each of these openings. I am grateful for each of these resources. I apologize for any delays I have caused for others. I pray that my lifestyle is shaped by the Christ I profess to follow. 

 

Word of the Day

“For you, the Eternal’s Word is your happiness. It is your focus—from dusk to dawn.” (Psalm 1:2 VOICE)

Word of the day calendars can be a good way to expand your vocabulary. If you just read something and then go about your day, you are not likely to retain it. The best way to incorporate a new word into your repertoire is to study it repeatedly. Read the definition in the morning; repeat this in the afternoon. Write it down. Look at it from different angles. Try to use it in sentences as often as you can. Meditate on it in the evening. This is how you learn.

This same principle can be applied to all learning. Don’t just read something once and hope to get the most out of it. Study it multiple times throughout the day. Write it down. Roll it around. Look at it from different perspectives. Chew on it slowly, repeatedly. Meditate on it from dusk to dawn. Simmer in it until it soaks into your mind. Make this a practice. This is the way to incorporate what you learn into your life. 

 

Love Excludes Prejudice

“My dear brothers and sisters, fellow believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ—how could we say that we have faith in him and yet we favor one group of people above another?” (James 2:1 TPT)

I used to be afraid of all dogs when I was young. Since my family didn’t have pets, my concepts about dogs came mostly from other sources. I saw dogs with sharp teeth barking and jumping in other people’s yards. My parents taught me to keep away since dogs might bite. It  wasn’t until I got my first golden retriever that I finally started to see dogs differently. I am less suspicious of some breeds now. If a strange golden retriever were to walk up to me on the street, I would probably pet it. If a Rottweiler were to do the same, I would not. Both could be friendly. Both could knock me down--resulting in a broken hip. On a superficial level, I can acknowledge this fact--but my instinctive reactions are deeply subconscious. My son jokes that I am prejudiced against different breeds of dogs. This is true. I  prejudge dogs based on their appearance and my limited experience. I am still suspicious of certain breeds while familiar breeds feel less threatening. 

I am ashamed to admit this, but my prejudice extends to humans too. I am instinctively more comfortable around strangers that look like me. I acknowledge that external appearance does not align with character, but my subconscious still operates at a primal level. Denial stunts growth. I have to examine my unconscious biases. I must intentionally excise these mental malignancies. Otherwise, I will continue to inadvertently participate and perpetuate the problem. I cannot claim to follow Christ and show favoritism. This would be hypocritical. Christ taught us to love one another, and love excludes all prejudice. 

Challenging Beliefs

“Let the evildoers be at their worst and the morally filthy continue in their depravity—yet the righteous will still do what is right, and the holy will still be holy.” (Revelations 22:11 TPT)

I have been studying the Book of Revelations for the past few months. I have read many interpretations, commentaries, fictional stories, and extrapolations of this part of the Bible. One thing I am struck by is how everyone believes they are on the side of Good and the opposition is Evil. Not a single person ever believes they are doing evil. I bet Hitler, the Nazi soldiers, those who commit genocide, rapists, racists, those who incite violence--all of them BELIEVE they are on the side of good. This made me realize that what we BELIEVE does not equal TRUTH. 

I believed human beings were basically decent except for a few bad eggs. I believed that people who knew better would do better. I thought that what I believed was true. Despite evidence to the contrary, I still don't want to let go of my "beliefs"--why? Because if I can't see myself and other 'believers' as on the side of good fighting the bad guys, then that shatters everything I believe in! Challenging my long-held beliefs and identity is discombobulating. Thus, I try to either numb myself or distract myself.  I look away. I busy myself with my own problems. I tell myself to mind my own business. I convince myself that evil has always been present, that I am powerless to change anything, and all this is God’s mess to fix. 

 

Sleepwalking

“So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart.” (1 Thessalonians 5:6 MSG)

Sleepwalking, or somnambulism, is a disorder that causes individuals to walk around while they are still asleep. It is most common in children, and they outgrow it by the time they are teens. Spiritual sleepwalking, on the other hand, is more prevalent in adults. Symptoms of this disorder include unexamined beliefs, going through the motions, following familiar standards, mindless rituals, and lack of awareness. 

Are you sleepwalking through life?

Obviously, those who are sleepwalking --physically or spiritually--are unaware of what they are doing. Attempting to wake up an unconscious person is ineffective; it merely leads to disorientation. They may lash out aggressively. What do you do if someone you know is somnambulant?  The best thing to do is to gently turn them in the direction of safety and walk nearby. What if you are the one going through life mindlessly, wandering around in a stupor? Be on guard. Keep your eyes open. Remain alert.